Unit1IntroductiontoBusinessWriting

Teaching Objectives
By learning this unit, students are supposed to be able to
1. Know the main characteristics and types of business letters
2. Master the elements and the layout of a business letter
3. Understand the essential qualities and writing principles
4. Learn how to write a business letter in a correct format
Teaching Focus
1. Format of business letters
2. Essential qualities and main principles of writing
3. Special expressions and layout of the language
Teaching Hours
Presentation: 2 hours
Practice: 2 hours
Teaching Methods
Lecture
Media demonstration
Group discussion
Tutorial
Teaching Aids and Environment
Sample writing papers
Multi-media facilities
Teaching Procedures and Contents
I. Presentation
1. Introduction
According to the development of international trade, business letters are more frequently used, they form a
bridge to contact your business partner usually by notepapers, telegraph and e-mail. Whether the communication
succeeds or not depends on the written message sent in your letter. Every letter you write is actually a sales letter;
that is, you’re always selling something-- a product, a service, a company image, yourself, or simply an idea.
A good business letter can win new partners, contributes to promotion of the relationship between you and
your clients, eliminates mutual misunderstanding and lessen the differences; otherwise, your inappropriate letter
may cause new problems, lose clients and as a result, your letter will not reach your writing purpose.
What are the characters of business letters? How can we learn to write a good business letter? Let’s discuss in
the following.
2.The types of business letters
Generally speaking, business letters include two types: ordinary business letters and social business letters.
Here we will introduce 13 types of business letters, which are most commonly used in business communication as
follows:
1) Letters of Establishing Business Relations
2) Letters of Credit and Status Enquiries
3) Letters of Request / Inquiries
4) Letters of Quotation / Offer
5) Letters of Counter Offer
6) Letters of Acceptance
7) Letters of Payment
8) Letters of Payment Demands
9) Letters of Requests for Reference
10) Letters of Packing
11) Letters of Shipment
12) Letters of Insurance
13) Letters of Complaint / Claims / Settlement
3. Layout of a business letter
18 elements are usually contained in a business letter as follows:
Letterhead (printed) 信头
Date 日期
Inside Address 信内地址
Attention Line 注意线
Salutation 尊称
Subject Line 标题
Reference Number 编号
Body 正文 Body 正文
Opening Sentence(s) 开头语
(one or m  Main Body
主旨段落
Closing Sentence (s) 结尾语
Complimentary Close 客套结尾语
Signature (handwritten) 签名 （手签）
Signature (printed) 签名（打印）
Identification Mark 署名人身份
Enclosure Notation附件注明
Postscript 附笔
Carbon Copy Notation 副本注明
A sample letter –1
Heading
Dateline
Reference Number
Inside Address
Attention Line
Salutation
Subject Line
Body RESEARCH ASSOCLA TES, INC.
457 Plains Highways
North Platte, Nebraska 6901
U.S.A.
September 11,1993
Ref: 12-5-56A
Shanghai Customs College
45 Fen Yang Road
Shanghai 200031
P.R.OF CHINA
Attention: Mr. Wu Bao-kang
Gentlemen:
Subject. The Elements of a Business Letter
You are reading a letter containing all the parts of a business letter.
The attention line follows the inside address. Because it is really a part of the
address, it should also be paced on the envelope.
Complimentary Close
Company Signature
Signer’s Identification
Identification Mark
Reference Initials
Enclosure
CC Notation
Postscript The subject line follows the salutation. It is considered part of the body of the
letter.
Sincerely,
RESEARCH ASSOCIATES, INC
(Signature)---------------------------
(Ms.) Sherry Zhang
President
SZ/aw
Encl.
CC: Bob Wood.
P.S. The postscript should never be used as an after thought. It may be used,
however, to emphasize or to personalize.
Some of them are necessary to a business letter, but others can sometimes be optional.
4. Analysis of Sentence Structures: